Guyana’s development can be bigger, better and faster

Dear Editor,
The Democratic National Convention ended last week with Joe Biden accepting the nomination as that party’s Presidential Candidate and Kamla Harris as his running mate. They are challenging Donald Trump as the next President of the USA.
There have been many takeaways from that convention which were previously highlighted, and today there is a focus zoning in on the requirements that would mould the President, as enumerated by former First Lady Michelle Obama.
Those requirements are relevant in guiding the success of Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali. Mrs Obama said, “The job is hard. It requires clearheaded judgement; a mastery of complex and competing issues; a devotion to facts and history; a moral compass and an ability to listen; and an abiding belief that each of the 330 million lives in this country has meaning and worth.
“A President’s words have the power to move markets. They can start wars or broker peace. They can summon our better angels or awaken our worst instincts. You must display a total and utter placement of empathy. You simply cannot fake your way through this job.”
Indeed, Dr. Irfaan Ali has an uphill task to preside over a ‘diversified’ nation: which is carrying a scar from racial imbalances and discrimination, fuelled and fertilised by the previous administration, and compounded by a bankrupt Treasury. The task is far from being easy, especially since it is embroiled with COVID-19, and he must remain sober-headed to exercise impartial judgement in order to unite a divided people and resolve the economic woes that are so challenging and humongous.
His performance has always to scrutinise a bitter past, flavoured with criminal activity in the society, bearing in mind that his predecessors have been branded with so much corruption, and their ability to lie their way through was detrimental to the health of the nation. Today they are an emblem of dishonesty.
He will be well advised to remain in touch with the ‘grassroots’ who are suffering from the effects of poverty, and to have an open mind while paying attention to feedback from the man in the street. His Inauguration Speech did endorse the value of each Guyanese: requesting each person to come on board for nation building; to give each person a chance to grow from a small man to a real man; and really live the good life that was denied them by the APNU/AFC Party.
The First Lady and the President himself have the characteristics to touch the soul of everyone. Their words can move mountains and remove stumbling blocks. People from both sides of the fence opine that they as fair-minded and desire only what is best for the entire Guyana. They treat everyone equally, and their compassion resonates with sincerity. The President’s stature demands that he stands firm and resolute; compact as a rock on the surface, and delicate as a flower inwardly. The First Lady’s job is inclusive of maintaining the equilibrium that will balance the scale of demand-and-supply in a justified way.
Michelle Obama was right when she said that getting the message across is difficult because of the hate-mongers. Many tried to penetrate a peaceful nation with racial strife, and wanted to instigate violence as a consequence of being unable to attain power illegitimately. Those perpetrators must be seen as permanent outcasts to our society, and must never be allowed to contaminate the purity of innocent ones who are fragile to adulterated convolution. Such volatility must be curbed and extinguished from inception, and a safety-net measure must be cast to prevent repetition of the contamination.
Guyanese from all walks of life must be cognisant of future mischief, and remain alert to recognise any such birth, discouraging and refusing its spread. The ERC has to awaken from its slumber with a more meaningful perspective, while being more aggressive, vigilant and assertive in its role, so that discrimination can be eliminated in a faster and more effective approach. Any “laid back” attitude has to be revolutionised; the function of the ERC has to be more proactive; its critique has to be vociferous, and be exercised with initiative.
Guyanese are basically a God-fearing people, and have to be honest with themselves. They can no longer pretend, but have to admit to the facts being established daily, confirming in a convincing way the monstrosities that deprived the poor Guyanese of a decent way of life. It is glaringly obvious that the minute the APNU/AFC Party took office in 2015, they established a clear track record that is punctuated with embezzlement and misappropriation, which suited their personal agenda and completely left out the interest of the struggling man in the street. This was a routine procedure up until the last minute when they demitted office.
If there is one message that Guyanese can grasp from Michelle Obama’s speech, it is that Guyanese must now act in as if their lives depend on each of their personal actions. That is so true, because it is only by doing what is right that they can be saved from the pandemic; unite Guyana from ethnic indifferences; their children can be saved from becoming criminals; their children can be educated; lawlessness and vulgarity can be eliminated, and Guyana’s development can be bigger, better and faster.
Guyanese will not be fooled again; violence will not be condoned, and peace will prevail; for a united nation and progress will attribute to a profitable and equitable distribution for all to enjoy.

Respectfully,
Jai Lall